Production of calcium alloys.



PATENTED JUNE 11 1907 FLVONKfiGELGEN & G. O. SEWARD. PRODUCTION OF GALGIUM ALLOYS. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 30, 1905.

I INVENTORS WITNESSES: @M 54%! By Attorneys,-

FRANZ voN KheELeENY AND Eosbae.-= viaerNrAt enppuoj'lofl o] o AiL-diuiu-A Loys.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that we, FR'ANZ VON Ki'ieEL- GEN, a subject of the German Emperor, and GEORGE O. SEWARD, a citizen of the-United States, both residing-at Holcombs Rock, Bedford county, Virginia, have jointly invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Production of Calcium Alloys, ofwhich the follmving is a specification.

()ur invention relates to the electrolysis of a salt of calcium whereby to produce calcium alloys. The metal to be alloyed with the calcium is fused and serves as'the cathode.

According to our invention we may produce an alloy ofcalcium and zinc bv electroly-.

sis of molten calcium chlorid 0501, using a cathode-of molten zinc. Calcium and zinc alloy in almost any proportion. All calciumzinc alloys except those containing very little zinc are heavy enough to remain at the bot'-' tom of the cell where the'alloy is unattacked by the Chlorin which is liberated at the anode. These calcium-zinc alloys are advantageous for use as reducing agents, for which purpose the zinc is not disadvantageous. It is well known that calciumis a very active reducing agent, but it is expensive and difficult to make. The calcium-zinc alloys are easily made the apparatus being simple and durable, and the process easily managed, while the cost is low becauseof" the low voltage required. The alloys if containing even as much as ten per cent. zinc are brittle and easily powdered. These alloys promise to have awide appli cation asreducing agents in place of alumi nium or pure calcium.

The accompanying drawing shows in vertical section a suitable form of an electrolytic cell for practicing our process.

Let A designate the .cell or vessel, B the dynamo or other source of current, and C the anode, which ma be of carbon, graphite or any other suitabie substance. The bottom of the Ell""i's"filied with molt-en zinc (Zn) above which heats the electrolyte of fused calciumchlorid (05101,) in whichtheanocle is immersed. ,Heat may be ap lied in any suitable way to fuse this salt, t e fusion'of which maintains the zinc in molten condition because of the lower melting point of the latter. The fusion ma be effected by externally applied heat, as, or eXs mple,.by means of a gas burner 11 beneath; or it may be effected, and .in practice will ordinarily be Specification of Letters Ap lication filed March3Q,1905-. Is =t1m1a2,1 s.

U iirEn i ornion.

, Patented J '1ine 12 l,'1907.

maintained after the operation is started, by electriciheating. due. to the resistance of the electrolyte to the passage of l-the current.

The electric circuit is completedlby conduc The electrolytic action disen'g'a e's' chlorin atthe anode, which maybe 001% carried off in any known manner; the calcium passes to the cathode where it-alloys with the zinc.

ficiently rich incalcium the a by; "should-be or otherwise andffresh'; a continuous process 1s I drawn on by tappin zinc supplied. Or, i not desired, zinc may be added from time to time and theanode raised untilas muchof the alloy is produced as the vessel will convenie'ntly hold, whereupon the process may ,be discontinued and the alloy removed.

swmai Hemm OC ected and When the allo becon'ies sufv The vessel A maybe of cast iron, in which case it may be the medium through. which the negative conductor is put into communication with the zino -cathodej, as shown.

.In such case no portionof the iron vessel,

should act as a cathode. This may be prevented by water-jacketing the upper portion f the vessel, as shown, a being a as? H jacketjand d d the pipes for admitting .conducting away the water. The effect .of

thus cooling the upper portion of the vesseh is that a layer of calcium chlorid is solidified against thecooled surface, as shown ate,

and protects it. Any other way of confining the cathode to the zinc itself may be adopted.

Our invention is susceptible of modifies;

tion in both the process andthe a paratus for practicing it, a'swill be well un erstood;

, We claim as our inventiOnr- 1. The process which consists in electro;

lyzing a molten calcium salt in the presence of a .cathode of fusedzinc whereby ispro- I duced an alloy of calcium and zinc.

2. The process which consistsqn electrolyzing moltencalcium chlorid in the pres- I once of a cathode of fused zinc whereby the with such metal.-

separated calcium-allofy's h h we ave ereun'to In witness whereo Signed our names in' the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

. FRANZ voN'K UeELoENQ GEORGE o. SEWARD. 

